Best Cherry Snowball Cookies Recipe
Snowball cookies are a traditional cookie that grandma used to make and everyone remembers eating – except these are cherry snowball cookies with maraschino cherry in the middle. I grew up in a big Italian family and remember my mom making snowball cookies with the cherry inside for the holidays. We loved cherry snowball cookies at Christmas time and how they melted in your mouth when you ate them.
I’ve seen similar cookies in older recipe books called a Mexican wedding cookie or Russian tea cake and they’re made with many of the same ingredients, without the cherry. But, having grown up making these, it’s tough for me to make them without the cherry – so I never do, and they still taste amazing.
How to Make Cherry Snowball Cookies
When making these cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F and take the butter out of the fridge to soften. A quick way to soften butter is to slice it up into tablespoon-size pieces until you’re ready to use it.
Next, I prep the maraschino cherries and the walnuts. For the cherries, I start by draining the cherry juice from the cherries. But I don’t throw the juice out, as it can be used in other recipes. Then slice the cherries into halves and drain them on a paper towel.
I use a 1/2 cup of walnuts that are finely chopped, so they are ready to use. For this, I like to use my small electric chopper. But if you don’t have one you can easily chop them by placing them in a Ziplock bag and crushing them with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Once that’s done, I measure out the rest of my ingredients for the snowball cookies, which are powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt, cornstarch, and flour. I take out my electric or stand mixer and a mixing bowl, and I’m ready to start making the dough.
I start by placing the softened butter in the mixing bowl and beat it on medium speed until smooth. Now it’s time to add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, then continue to mix for another minute. After that, I add the cornstarch and nuts and blend for one more minute.
Next, I add flour to the bowl, a half cup at a time, mixing it until all the flour is combined to form a dough. Then I scoop out a tablespoon of dough, cup it in my hand, press 1/2 of a cherry into the dough, and roll it into a ball.
As I continue to roll up all the cookies, I place them on an ungreased cookie sheet until the sheet is full, and bake them for about 12 to 15 minutes.
When the cookies are done, I remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the snowball cookies cool for a few minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet.
Next, I pour a cup of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl and roll each cherry snowball cookie in it, until coated, and place the snowball cookies onto a platter to cool, then serve, or freeze.
My picks for baking
Cherry Snowball Cookies With Recipe
A soft, buttery cookie with a cherry center
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-14 min
- Total Time: 45 min
- Yield: 30 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of walnuts, finely chopped
maraschino cherries, drained and cut in half
Additional powdered sugar to coat cookies
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F
2. Place softened butter in a mixing bowl and beat with an electric or stand mixer on medium speed until smooth.
3. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt, then continue to mix for another minute.
4. Add in the cornstarch and chopped nuts. Then blend for another minute.
5. Start adding flour to the bowl, a half cup at a time, mixing it in and blending, until all the flour is combined to make a crumbly dough.
6. Scoop out a tablespoon of dough and cup it in the palm of your hand. Then press 1/2 of a cherry into the dough, roll it into a ball, and place it on an ungreased baking sheet.
7. Continue rolling up the cherry ball cookies with 1/2 a cherry and place them on the cookie sheet about 1-1/2″ apart. If at any time the dough feels too soft, place it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to firm it up.
8. Once all of the cookies are rolled up and on the backing sheet, place them into the preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the bottom of snowball cookie is slightly browned.
9. Remove cookies from the oven and cool for a few minutes before taking them off the cookie sheet.
10. Pour about a cup of powdered sugar into a shallow bowl and roll each cookie in it, until coated.
11. Place onto a platter to cool, then serve or freeze.
